Floor-reared pullets sometimes have a tendency to crowd together. This natural behaviour can be
triggered by different situations:
-
-
-
Reaction of panic : when birds are frightened, they try to avoid dangers
Attraction : when they are attracted by something, as they are curious and want to find
feed and discover their environment
Sleeping behaviour: it enables them to reduce the loss of body heat during the night, to
maintain social links between them and to protect against dangers.
Smothering during rearing
During the period around 6 to 12 weeks of age there is sometimes and increased tendency to crowd
together especially in the dark period.
There is an increased risk of smothering:
-
-
-
-
when the night temperatures are too low
if the birds have not been able to eat enough feed before "lights out"
in case of parasites (coccidiosis) or vaccine reaction
when birds are reared at high stocking density
Frightening events like sudden noise, lighting flashes or animals coming in can also lead to
smothering.
Good temperature control and feeding towards the end of the day help to reduce the risk of
smothering. A feed distribution in the last few minutes before "lights out" contributes to conserve the
body heat (heat produced in the digestion process).
In dark poultry houses, or during short day periods in naturally lit or half-dark houses, smothering can
be avoided by:
- bringing forward the times of "lights on" and "lights out" by half an hour or an hour as
soon as the tendency is noticed : lights should be out after sunset
- not delaying “lights out”
- using perches to reduce the number of birds on the floor
- using a electric fence along the partitions.
If the birds crowd together at “lights out”, break up the groups.
Some daytime smothering may also occur, most likely due to sunlight getting in the building, to any
stress or to sudden changes in feeding schedule.
Smothering during lay
Smothering may occur during lay for a number of different reasons:
- in the evening at “lights out”,
- along partitions, due to curiosity (presence of egg collection staff),
- following a change in feeding times or due to lack of feeding or drinking equipment,
- sunlight getting in.
Floor-reared pullets sometimes have a tendency to crowd together. This natural behaviour can betriggered by different situations:---Reaction of panic : when birds are frightened, they try to avoid dangersAttraction : when they are attracted by something, as they are curious and want to findfeed and discover their environmentSleeping behaviour: it enables them to reduce the loss of body heat during the night, tomaintain social links between them and to protect against dangers.Smothering during rearingDuring the period around 6 to 12 weeks of age there is sometimes and increased tendency to crowdtogether especially in the dark period.There is an increased risk of smothering:----when the night temperatures are too lowif the birds have not been able to eat enough feed before "lights out"in case of parasites (coccidiosis) or vaccine reactionwhen birds are reared at high stocking densityFrightening events like sudden noise, lighting flashes or animals coming in can also lead tosmothering.Good temperature control and feeding towards the end of the day help to reduce the risk ofsmothering. A feed distribution in the last few minutes before "lights out" contributes to conserve thebody heat (heat produced in the digestion process).In dark poultry houses, or during short day periods in naturally lit or half-dark houses, smothering canbe avoided by: - bringing forward the times of "lights on" and "lights out" by half an hour or an hour as soon as the tendency is noticed : lights should be out after sunset - not delaying “lights out” - using perches to reduce the number of birds on the floor - using a electric fence along the partitions.If the birds crowd together at “lights out”, break up the groups.Some daytime smothering may also occur, most likely due to sunlight getting in the building, to anystress or to sudden changes in feeding schedule.Smothering during laySmothering may occur during lay for a number of different reasons: - in the evening at “lights out”, - along partitions, due to curiosity (presence of egg collection staff), - following a change in feeding times or due to lack of feeding or drinking equipment, - sunlight getting in.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
